Eclectic Scribblings

A few weeks ago, I was making one of my rummage runs through Salvation Army, looking for old audio, albums, old cd’s…you know…stuff.

I found a nice old pair of AKG K140 headphones ( 79.99 in 1974…) for $3.00. Nice little find. They needed a bit of a polish, but worked just fine.

And being an ex-poster boy for OCD, I took them home and started listening to all kinds of stuff, just to see how nice things can sound on a good set of cans; listening for production and engineering value, even more so than the artists. Not just geek; this is dinosaur geek. Old Dinosaur Guy Finds Headphones in Box, Misses Two Weeks of Work.Story at Eleven.

I wish.

And anyway, about three days in, I ran some King’s X.

And kept right on, for about another week. Sure was nice to wallow in the old magic. This is absolutely the most underrated band in our universe. How could they not have gotten what they deserved?

I went to the website after years and years away, just to see what might be going on with them. I was a bit afraid that they might be gone altogether by now.

I found that they had planned a tour for this year, new material in the works, but no New England dates scheduled. Bummer. The last time I had seen them was at the Station in West Warwick, and I remember being crushed against the outside wall and thinking that all that cheap foam that lined the walls and ceiling was just Hell waiting to happen. And not three months later…

Spent this evening listening to ” Gretchen Goes To Nebraska” and just marveling at the recording. It ‘s just so great to get to listen to people having the time of their lives, and careers. Then I thought I would check the website again to see if their were any additions or schedule changes for the tour.

The tour has been cancelled.

Jerry Gaskill has had a heart attack. He’s supposedly doing OK after an operation, and is still in ICU.

Ah…rogers and their affinity for “old” things:) There is a sense of poignancy to it.
Back to the main point. What is up with all the medical malfeasance with members of the musical community lately? Are we to think anyone between the ages of 55 and 69 should take particular care?
I was not, and am currently not overly familar with King’s X listening only casually to them in the late 80’s however I do recall when one of them stopped into the record store I was manager of at the time to buy some cd’s. Tiny store in the Warwick Mall. In comes either Doug or Ty…no, it was Ty because someone came to me to give me a heads up that a member of King’s X just walked into the store. Seems they were playing a club in Providence and decided to stop into the mall’s record store. Nice guy. I wish Jerry a speedy recovery.

P.S. Methinks this a decent segue for “As Above, So Below”. Just sayin’